Ski



Nov. 17, 1942. H; A. sNow l 2,302,478

Y sx1 Filed June 26, 1941 www w Patented Nov. 17, 1942 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SKI Harry A. Snow, Boulder, Colo.

Application June 26, 1941, Serial No. 399,879

S Claims.

This invention relates to skis, It has been found that beginners have trouble in walking uphill and often trip and become injured While attempting to walk up a steep hill while Wearing Therefore, one object of the invention isv 4sliding of the skis while moving downhill.

Another object of the invention is to provide skis with spurs which are pivotally carried by plates set into the skis, thek free ends of the spurs being directed rearwardly and the spurs being freely movable from a retracted position, in which their under faces are ush with the under faces of the skis, to extended position. in which position their free ends extend downwardly for gripping engagement with the snow or ice.

Another object of the invention is to provide springs for urging the spurs or cleats downwardly, the springs being so formed and mounted that when the skis are worn, pressure of the wearers foot against an upper leaf of a spring will depress same to tension the spring and cause a lower leaf of the spring to have a tendency to force the spur or cleat engaged thereby downwardly.

Another object of the invention is to provide anti-slipping devices which are simple in construction and may be easily applied to skis of :7.:

conventional construction.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig l is a side elevation of a ski equipped with an anti-slipping device of the improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View showing the antislipping device applied to a ski.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View showing the antislipping device applied to a ski.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, showing tensioning pressure applied to the upper leaf of the spring by a persons foot.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

The ski I is of conventional construction and has the usual straps 2 or equivalent attaching means by which it is held to a persons foot 3, as shown in Fig. 5. The portion of the ski upon spur I2.

which the foot rests is formed with an opening 4 and the under face of the ski is recessed about the opening to provide a depression or seat 5 extending the full width of the ski and of appreciably greater length than the opening 4.

The anti-slipping device has a plate G of such length and width that it iits snugly in the recess or seat 5 and the thickness of the plate is such that when it is secured in the seat by screws or equivalent fasteners "I, its lower face will be ush with the under face of the ski. An opening 8 is formed through the plate and this opening is of such dimensions and so located that it registers with the opening 4 formed through the ski. At the front end of the opening 4 the ski is bored transversely to form openings 9 through which a pin I0 is mounted with its intermediate portion passing through the opening 4 and through bearing ears or lugs II carried by and extending upwardly from one end of a cleat or This cleat consists of a plate of steel or `other hard metal and is of such length and width that it may t within the opening 8 of the mounting plate 6 when in the retracted position shown in Fig. 4, the front end of the plate being rounded, as shown at I3, so that the cleat or spur may easily swing from retracted position to extended position as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing.

In order to urge the spur or cleat I2 outwardly, there has been provided a spring I. This spring consists of a thin strip of spring steel folded to provide upper and lower leaves I5 and I6 and has its curved intermediate portion engaged about the portion of the pin I between the bearing ears II. The lower leaf H5 extends longitudinally of the cleat in flat contacting engagement with the upper face thereof and the upper leaf extends diagonally so that it will project upwardly through the forward portion of the opening 4 of the ski when the ski is not in use. When the ski is applied to a persons foot, the toe portion of the persons shoe rests upon the free end portion of the upper leaf and depresses said leaf so that the spring will be tensioned and its lower leaf caused to urge the cleat or spur downwardl Vly from the retracted position of Fig. 4, toward the person steps forwardly. As a foot is lifted, the spring will force the cleat downwardly toward the extended position and the free sharpened end H of the cleat will cut into the snow or ice and very eiectively prevent rearward slipping of the ski. Therefore, a person will be prevented from slipping while walking uphill and can climb a hill very easily. As soon as the ski is removed from the foot, the spring and cleat may swing freely about the pin. The lower leaf of the spring may be iixed to the cleat or may be free therefrom and frictional engagement between the cleat and spring depended upon to hold the spring in proper engagement with the cleat.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. In combination with a ski, a mounting carried by the ski, a cleat carried by said mounting and movable from retracted position to extended position for protruding from the under face of the ski, and resilient means for urging the cleat to extended position having a cleat-engaging portion and a portion engageable by a persons foot to tension the resilient means.

2. In combination with a ski, an anti-slipping cleat mounted for movement from retracted position to extended position. in which a free end of the cleat protrudes downwardly from the under face of the ski, and a spring for urging the cleat to extended position having a portion extending upwardly above the ski and engageable by a persons foot for compressing and tensioning the spring.

3. A ski formed with an opening, a mounting plate fixed to the under face of said ski and formed with an opening registering with the opening of the ski, a cleat of dimensions adapting it to iit within the opening of the mounting plate when in retracted position, said cleat extending longitudinally of the ski and having upstanding bearing lugs at its front end, a pin mounted transversely of the ski with a portion passing through the opening thereof and through the bearing lugs to pivotally mount the cleat for swinging movement from retracted position to extended position in which it extends downwardly at a rearward incline from the mounting plate, and a spring for urging the cleat toward its extended position having a clip-engaging portion and a portion engageable by a persons foot to compress and tension the spring when the ski is worn.

4. A ski formed with an opening, a mounting plate iixed to the under face of said ski and formed with an opening registering with the opening of the ski, a clean of dimensions adapting it to fit within the opening of the mounting plate when in retracted position, said cleat extending longitudinally of the ski and having upstanding bearing lugs at its front end, a pin mounted transversely of the ski with a portion passing through the opening thereof and through the bearing lugs to pivotally mount the cleat for swinging movement from retracted position to extended position in which it extends downwardly at a rearward incline from the mounting plate, and a spring for urging the cleat toward its extended position having a"c1eatengaging portion and a portion extending upwardly through the opening in the cleat in position to be engaged and depressed by the foot of a person to tension the spring when the ski is applied to the foot.

5. A ski formed with an opening, a mounting plate xed to the under face of said ski and formed with an opening registering with the opening of the ski, a cleat of dimensions adapting it to fit within the opening of the mounting plate when in retracted position, said cleat extending longitudinally of the ski and having upstanding bearing lugs at its front end, a pin mounted transversely of the ski with a portion passing through the opening thereof and through the bearingV lugs to pivotally mount the cleat for swinging movement from retracted position to extended position in which it extends downwardly at a rearward incline from the mounting plate, and a spring for urging the cleat toward its extended position consisting of a resilient strip folded to provide a portion engaged about the pin between the lugs and upper and lower leaves, the lower leaf bearing against the upper face of l the cleat and the upper leaf projectingupwardly through the opening in-the ski in position to be engaged and depressed by a persons foot to tension the spring when the ski is appliedto the persons foot.

6.' An anti-slipping device for a ski comprising a mounting plate adapted to be secured to a ski, said plate being formed with an opening, a cleat mounted for movement through the opening from a retracted position to a downwardly inclined operative position in which it projects from the opening, and resilient means for urging the cleat toward its operative position tensioned by engagement with the foot of a person using the ski.

7. An anti-slipping device for a ski comprising a mounting plate adapted to be secured to a ski, said plate being formed with an opening, a cleat extending longitudinally in the opening and having upstanding bearings at its front end, a pin passing through said bearings for pivotally mounting the cleat for swinging movement from retracted position to a depending operative position, and a spring for urging the cleat to operative position held in place by the pin and having its lower portion bearing against the clip and its upper portion positioned for engagement by a persons foot to compress and tension the spring. 8. An anti-slipping device for a ski comprising a mounting plate adapted to be secured to a ski, said plate being formed with an opening, a cleat extending longitudinally in the opening and having upstanding bearings at itsV front end., a pin passing through said bearings for pivotally mounting the cleat for swinging movement from retracted position to a depending operative position, and a spring for urging the cleat to operative position consisting of a strip of resilient metal folded to provide Vupper and lowerleaves, said spring being engaged about the pin between the bearings with its lower leaf bearing against the cleat and its upper leaf projecting upwardly above the plate.

HARRY A. SNOW. 

